


I'm Sorry, Merlin...

by orphan_account



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: A Bit of Fluff, Angst, Caning, Hunting, Hurt/Comfort, I'm gonna try and make this good, M/M, Prince duties, Violence, eventual merthur - Freeform, i think..., violent description
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-24
Updated: 2015-08-13
Packaged: 2018-03-31 22:34:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 3,123
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3995581
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin is found stealing a few jewels from the palace (for a good reason) and needs to be punished.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

“You have gone too far this time.” Uther looked down at Merlin, “And for your crimes… Well, Arthur. You will be king soon. Tell this servant what his punishment shall be.”

Merlin swallowed and looked over at Gaius, who shook his head. How would he get out of this one?

“Father, you can’t be serious. He hasn’t done that much to deserve death.”

“Death?” Merlin said under his breath.

Uther stared unblinking at his only son. “He has broken the law numerous times, stolen from the palace, embarrassed you many times, and offended the royal family. That will not be tolerated here.”  
“But he’s my servant. My…” Arthur hesitated. “He’s good at his job. I will not sentence him to death. I can’t. I refuse.”

“Well what will you sentence him to? Running through a field of flowers? Catching butterflies? He needs to be punished. And not just the barracks. Something more.”

Arthur looked at his servant. His friend. After thinking he said, “How about public caning? It’s not the most humane thing, but it's better than death.”  
“So be it. Merlin, you are sentenced to public caning 15 times, in the square, noon sharp.” Uther seemed pleased for now and dismissed the court.

Arthur just grimaced, trying to hide his discomfort.

“Caning? What is caning?” Merlin was worried. Everyone had seemed nervous after that announcement, but it was apparently better than death.

Gaius was somber, staring at the dark walls behind Merlin's dungeon bars. “Caning. Beat, essentially. A wet cane will be slapped across your back 15 times.”  
“What?! How can this be allowed?”

“You can recover from this. Death… Not so much. You’re lucky.”

Merlin pressed his face against the cool metal. He was ashamed of what he had done. Stealing jewels wasn’t his first idea, but they had been needed. For someone in need. It had been required… He didn’t want to think about it now.

“Do you think I’ll be okay?”

“You’re strong. You’ll manage.” Gaius brushed his fingers over Merlins. He had always seen the boy as a son, and no parent wants to see their child hurt.

It was just before noon, and Merlin was chained up.

The executioner was the one in charge if caning as well. He had a bucket of water beside his with a long wooden rod in it. Arthur and Uther were standing next to each other in front of the mage.

The bell started ringing, announcing that it was noon. Arthur stepped forward and waited for them to quiet down. “Merlin has disobeyed our law too many times. For this, he will be caned 15 times.” He nodded to the executioner, but couldn’t make eye contact with Merlin. He stepped back beside his father but kept his head down.

The man took the rod out of the water and stood over the bent Merlin, raising it above his head.

The first hit rang out in the square.

Merlin squeezed his eyes shut and clenched his teeth. He couldn’t let anyone see him cry. He was stronger than that. His back was burning, a hot line right across his back, from his shoulder to hip.

He opened his eyes just enough to see Gwen running from the square. He swore there were tears running down her cheeks.

Arthur had flinched, but nodded at the man in black. “Again.”

Whap

“Again.”

Whap

“Again.”

Whap

“Again…”

**  
**

Merlin was finally let out of the chains. He fell to his knees as everyone cleared out. Gaius had needed to leave around the seventh hit. Seeing Merlin in pain was too much for him.

Arthur had gone in immediately after. Now, hours later, when he looked outside he still saw Merlin, doubled over without a shirt, unmoving. He didn’t know what made him go outside to see his servant, but he did.

“Merlin?” He gingerly touched the boys shoulder.

Merlin whimpered slightly and sunk down further. Arthur fell to his knees and lifted Merlin's head. “Hey… You know I had to do this, right? It was either this or death. Please, please be okay.”

Merlin nodded and tried to stand up, but ended in successfully hurting his back more by falling on it.

“Merlin. I’m so sorry.” Arthur put his arms under Merlin’s neck and knees. “I’m going to carry you in, okay?” He picked up the dark haired boy and lifted him, then stumbled into the castle.

 _He’s boy was heavier than I expected,_  Arthur thought.

When they got to Arthur’s chambers, he dropped Merlin on his large bed. “Sorry.”

Merlin curled up in a ball, turning away from his master.

Arthur sat on the edge of the bed and put his hand on Merlin's head. “Merlin. Do you need me to get Gaius? He probably has an elixir or something to help the pain.” He ran his fingers over one of the still red lines. It was hot to the touch and swollen.

After a few minutes of silence, Arthur stretched his legs out on top of the covers. “You’ll need to clean these after. My boots are a bit muddy.” He chuckled lightly, but stopped when Merlin didn’t join in. “That wasn’t funny. Are you sure you don’t need anything?”  
“Ar-arthur.” Merlin stuttered out. “I just need some quiet. And don’t touch my back.”

He pulled his hand back and stayed quiet.

“I also need you. Just… You.”

“What do you mean?”

Merlin was silent for a bit. “I just need you near right now. I know you’re the prince, so I’m sorry if I’m being rude, but-”  
“No. Thats not rude. And I’m sorry for the caning.”

“It's not your fault. I was the one who took the jewels. I guess it was better than dying. Or cleaning your armour.” Merlin let out a soft laugh, and winced in pain. “I’ll be fine, ready to clean the stables soon enough. If I can still serve you... “

“I’m sure we can work something out.” Arthur smiled. “I can usually pick who serves me, and you at least don’t complain too loud.”

“Clotpole…” Merlin mumbled.

“Idiot.”

They lay together, Merlin still in a ball, Arthur still stretched out.

“Why did you steal those jewels?” Arthur broke the stillness.

“It was necessary at the time. It was for…” Merlin drifted off.

“For…?”

“Someone needed them. It was to stop some bad people” Merlin didn’t want to admit it was to save Arthur from an attack.

The group of dark-clad people had shown up in the forest when Merlin was getting some herbs for Gaius and had threatened to attack the palace if he didn’t give them jewels. Merlin had tried to use his magic on them but it was no use. They meant business.

“I’m tired… Can you help me up? I need to get to my quarters.” Merlin started to sit up.

“No. You stay here tonight. I’m going to see if Gaius has anything for your wounds.” Arthur gently pushed his friend back down again and got up. “I’ll be back soon.”

When Arthur got back with a container of ointment, Merlin was asleep.

He doesn’t know why he did it, but he sat on Merlin's side and pushed back his bangs, kissing him softly on the forehead. “I’m sorry.”

He went around to the other side and rubbed the cold mixture on the raised red marks. After Merlin’s whole back was covered, Arthur got ready for bed and lay opposite him, back-to-back.

“Good night, Merlin. Feel better soon… I need someone to clean my room.” He joked before drifting off into sleep.


	2. Hunting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you like this. It got a bit lazy at the end but *shrugs* I like it.

When Merlin woke, the only thing he could feel was heat. A warmth covering him. Not only his back, but his entire body.

It was a pleasant warmth.

He heard a mumble and the warmth went away. He looked over to see Arthur next to him, sprawled out. He was the warmth. He must’ve been… Wrapped around Merlin?

He shook his head and tried to get up. His back failed to respond and he ended up falling back down, hitting Arthur in the face on the way.

Arthur sat up and looked around. “Merlin!”

“Sorry, sire. I tried to get up but my back hurts still.” Merlin sat up and leaned against the pillows. His back stung pretty bad, but he tried to ignore it. “I’ll just be going now.”

“I have some stuff for your back from Gaius.” Arthur reached over and grabbed the small container.

“Thank you. I’ll put it on in my room.”

“If you need any rest today, just let me know. I don’t want my servant to be too badly hurt. We have a hunting trip in a couple days.”

Merlin smiled. “I should be fine by then. I’m fine today.” He stood up and slightly winced at the pain. “I should go tell Gaius that I’m all right. I should be back here with food shortly.”

“Just don’t go too hard on yourself.”

“Are you… Worried about me?” Merlin said, jokingly.

“I always worry about you. It takes great skill to have your stupidity.”

“Then you must have the greatest skill in all the land.” Merlin ducked the flying cushion coming his way and laughed, letting himself out of his master's chambers. “I’ll be right back!” He called as he closed the large doors.

“I hope everyone is ready by this point.” Arthur got onto his white steed and looked around at his the fie others around him. Merlin and four knights of Camelot, Ulrich, Tybalt, Brom and Leo.

They all nodded and adjusted their saddles before riding on.

Merlin saw Gwen standing off to the side and waved. She raised her hand in awareness and smiled. She was always so kind to him and Arthur. As one should to a prince, Merlin thought. But why me?

“Merlin! Hurry up!” Merlin smiled again and raced after Arthur. It was going to be a long few days. At least his back wasn’t hurting as much as the first day.

After riding for half the day, shooting at three bucks (they scared one away, and Merlin swears he had nothing to do with it. Arthur disagrees), killing about half a dozen rabbits, and making pointless jokes, night was about to fall and they decided to make camp.

Merlin stirred the contents of the pot that sat over the fire, waiting for the nights to eat it, leaving Merlin with barely anything.

“...But if Merlin can do anything right, it's make stew.” Merlin caught only a bit of the conversation behind him, but he was glad there was at least one good thing said about him.

“He’s mostly useless though.” Arthur leaned back on the fallen tree, legs sticking out in front of him.

“You do know I can hear, right?” Merlin shot behind him.

“And the village idiot speaks.” There was a smile in Arthur's voice.

The knights laughed, making more jokes. None of them were very offensive towards Merlin. He had learned not to care. He knew that Arthur wouldn’t get rid of him. They enjoyed each others company too much.

“Well food is ready. If you guys want some, you better get to it before the prince here does. He can sometimes take a lot.” Merlin fake whispered that last part, getting a glove thrown at him.

The knight hurried around the pot, each taking a bit more than they should.

When they all finished, leaving Merlin with very little, they decided to retire for the night. Arthur offered to take first watch.

“And how is Prince Prat doing?” Merlin asked, leaning on the other side of the log, so they were almost back-to-back, but could still see each other if they turned their head to the side.

“And how is the servant Turnip-Head doing?” Arthur retorted. They were face-to-face.

Merlin was quiet for a while. “Fine, I suppose. My back is still in pain, but what can you expect from getting beat?” He let out an airy laugh, hoping it wouldn’t sent bolts of pain through his back. It did.

Arthur smiled and pat his shoulder. “I already apologized for that, right? I would rather have you injured than dead.”

They were quiet again, looking up at what little sky they could see through the trees, keeping their thoughts to themselves.

“Why did you steal that stuff?” Arthur said, quiet enough that Merlin wasn’t even sure he had heard until Arthur looked at him expectantly.

“Oh, uh…” Merlin shrugged. “I thought that your big head didn’t need any more jewels around it.”

“Seriously, Merlin. You’re an annoying ass, but it's not like you to steal that much.”

“And when have I ever stolen anything before?”  
“You have stolen many things.”

“Like what?”  
“...So why did you need the jewels?”

Merlin sighed and played with the fringe on his scarf. “When I was in the woods last week, getting herbs for Gaius, these men in black outfits came up and grabbed me. They knew I was your servant and said that if I didn’t get them the jewels, you would be dead.”

“So you got the jewels to save my life?”

“It was better me dead, than the prince soon-to-be-king of Camelot.”

Silence cut through the forest. Not an animal spoke, not a leaf rustled. It was almost the perfect silence.

**  
  
**

Merlin was jostled awake by someone nudging him. Sir Leo.

“Up, pack boy. We ride in five.” Merlin watched him walk away and got up, rubbing his back. He needed to put more of the ointment, but there wasn’t enough time.

Arthur stood by his horse, adjusting the saddle. When he saw Merlin was awake, he smiled and called him over.

“Yes, sire?”

“We’re going to start heading back today, but I have decided that we’ll take a detour.”

“Of course. Anything you need?”

“Yes. We would I have called you over if I didn’t need something? It's not like I enjoy your company.”

“Nor I yours.” Merlin smirked and got a whap to the head.

“Sir Tybalt and Leo are going back now. It will be us, Brom, and Ulrich.”

“Do you think thats a good idea? Isn’t it better for the prince to be surrounded people.”

“You know what, Merlin?”

“Shut up?”  
Arthur nodded and gestured to Merlin's horse.

They rode until midday, hunting along the way.

Merlin rode for a while just looking up at the trees, counting how many birds sang, touching beams of light through the leaves.

A movement caught his eye. The large branch that had a fat squirrel running across it cracked.

“Arthur!” Merlin yelled.

The prince’s horse was startled and dashed away, his rider swinging his head around wildly, hopefully missing the branch.

Merlin looked over at sirs Brom and Ulrich. They were fine, far enough away from the tree, their horses a bit spooked.

All three dashed down the path Arthur’s horse had followed.

“I’m fine.” They had found Arthur and his horse riding back a little ways down. He kept waving them off, even though they could see blood soaking his pant leg. “It's just a scratch.”  
Merlin shook his head. “It must have hit your leg, or maybe something else got you while you were riding away.”  
“Merlin, I said I’m fine. Now get back on your horse. There has been a lot of excitement today, so we’re going home.” Arthur's voice was stern.

The three knights and the secret mage rode through the forest, barely speaking to each other.

When they got back, night had fallen, so they put their horses in the stable and went to their rooms for sleep.

Arthur stumbled and leaned against the wall. “I… I’m fine Merlin. I just need sleep.” He looked pale.

“I didn’t say anything, sire, but would you like to go to Gaius? Just in case your scratch got infected?”

Before he could answer, Arthur fainted.

Gaius finished wrapping the wound and said “It's luckily not too deep, and it hasn’t been infected, but you lost a lot of blood. You should’ve let Merlin treat it right away.”  
“I told you.” Merlin said quietly off in the corner.

“I heard that!” Arthur retorted.

Merlin smiled and helped Arthur back to his room and into bed.

“You’ll be fine?”  
“Yes. I just need sleep.” Arthur’s head was already buried in the pillows. “Good night, Merlin.”  
“Good night, sire.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I seriously hope you liked it. Please tell me how it is. I want as much feedback as I can get. I'm going to try to update every Saturday. Anyway...  
> Read, Write, Love.


	3. Chapter 3

Merlin was organizing Gaius’s herbs when the guard came.

“Merlin, you are required to meet with the King in the throne room.”

Merlin put down the jar of mugwort, confused, and followed him out of the room.

He entered the throne room alone. Looking around the familiar place, he noticed there was only one other person there.

The King.

Merlin bowed. “Your majesty.”

“Merlin. Thank you for coming.”

“Did I have a choice?” Merlin muttered, hoping Uther didn’t hear.

He obviously didn’t, because he went on to say, “So, I understand that being a manservant to my son mustn't be easy, but that is no excuse to put him in danger.”

“Excuse me?” Danger? Merlin was the one trying to keep him out of danger.

“You were the one who yelled, startling the squirrel and causing it to make the branch break, and fall on my son's leg, which made him lose blood and pass out, correct?” Uther raised and eyebrow.

“No! I mean, no. Thats not what happened, sire.”

“Then please, enlighten me on what happened.”

Merlin shifted his weight. “We were riding in the forest, I saw the branch breaking and yelled Arthur’s name, to warn him. It startled his horse, who ran away with him, but the branch still hit his leg.”

Uther sat back in his throne. “What are your intentions with Arthur?”

Merlin was backed up a bit. “Excuse me?” He repeated.

“Your intentions.”

“To be his manservant? That’s what you ‘rewarded’ me with for saving his life. I would never want to hurt him.”

They were both quiet, thinking.

Uther broke the silence. “Don’t you have something to do? With Arthur? I believe he needs his armour cleaned.”

“But-”

“You are dismissed.”

Merlin bowed again and walked out of the room. Why did the king anger him so much? And he can’t even tell anyone because, guess what? He’s the king and Merlin could get put in the dungeon if he said anything bad.

Merlin would never do anything to harm Arthur. He would risk his life to make sure the prince doesn’t have so much as a scratch.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that this was REALLY late and so short! I have exams this week, then I'll be done school. My goal is to work on this ALL summer!


	4. Author's Note

Sorry I haven't updated this in FOREVER. I have no inspiration for it, and about 3 other ones I want to write.

So if any of you have any inspiration or anything. There are just no words being written.

I'm sorry.

**Author's Note:**

> First Merlin fic. Please, I want every one of you to let me know what you think. I don't know when its set... Sometime before season 4 I guess. Anyway, thanks for reading.


End file.
